HyperStar

[HarryD (Greg)]

I have not seen the HyperStar imaging system mentioned very much on this site. Is there a reason for its apparent non acceptance? It should have some pros as well as cons. Does any one have one? Is it as easy to use as claimed on the HyperStar site? Is the problem the fact that it is used with Celestron scopes? Any thoughts?

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by HarryD

I have not seen the HyperStar imaging system mentioned very much on this site. Is there a reason for its apparent non acceptance? It should have some pros as well as cons. Does any one have one? Is it as easy to use as claimed on the HyperStar site? Is the problem the fact that it is used with Celestron scopes? Any thoughts?

That's going to change real soon mate. I have an Hyperstar 3 for my C11 shipping as we speak. Watch this space

[HarryD (Greg)]

I will watch this space. Have you seen HyperStar in action Mark?
What made you invest your hard earned dollars in a system that doesn't seem to get any exposure on this site?

[AlexN]

Results shown on US sites are very good.. I for one was very interested by this setup when I had my C11.. Two factors made me shy away...

1 - Having to void the warranty on my C11 in order to install hyperstar.. Voiding the warranty on a scope I had just paid near on $5000 for...

2 - Cost of the unit, plus the fitting kit and then shipping and possible taxes on importing the unit were a little overwhelming. The results do seem worth the cost, I just couldnt afford it at the time...

I too eagerly await what Marc can do with his Hyperstar C11..

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by HarryD

I will watch this space. Have you seen HyperStar in action Mark?
What made you invest your hard earned dollars in a system that doesn't seem to get any exposure on this site?

Yes I have seen numerous pictures taken with fastar/hyperstar systems. What I am particularly interested in is wide aperture along with short focal length to capture the very faint stuff. 11" at 504mm FL is bound to do some serious damage. As I already had a C11 it made sense to invest in an Hyperstar. You don't see many pics taken with it around here, that's for sure, but I hope it's going to change and everyone with an SCT will eventually jump on the band wagon.

Originally Posted by AlexN

Results shown on US sites are very good.. I for one was very interested by this setup when I had my C11.. Two factors made me shy away...

1 - Having to void the warranty on my C11 in order to install hyperstar.. Voiding the warranty on a scope I had just paid near on $5000 for...

2 - Cost of the unit, plus the fitting kit and then shipping and possible taxes on importing the unit were a little overwhelming. The results do seem worth the cost, I just couldnt afford it at the time...

I too eagerly await what Marc can do with his Hyperstar C11..

Removing the corrector plate and re-fitting it is not a big deal but I understand your reticence doing it on a $5k scope. I reckon you'll get one too soon though .

[AlexN]

Mate.. all im waiting for is your first image, and your word that its as easy to install as they say it is!! then i'll be hunting for a C8/C9.25 + hyperstar haha!

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by AlexN

Mate.. all im waiting for is your first image, and your word that its as easy to install as they say it is!! then i'll be hunting for a C8/C9.25 + hyperstar haha!

Ooooh.... no pressure hey?

[AlexN]

hahaha.. Yeah, not much pressure mate... hahaha!

[coldspace]

I know most of the SCT Mallincam users in the US who use the hyperstar with fantastic results. Some of the images shown on our yahoo user group are excellent given that they are raw 7 to 56 second single exposure/intergration, what a F2 10 to 14 inch SCT can do is very,very good from what I have seen on the net.

There was only one issue that was mentioned by most users, and that most of the users found that in moderate to bad light pollution they could not use the hyperstar as the images would wash out real bad, so most were only using it in dark skies and ran their scopes alot slower in the cities like F3.3 to F5.
They have alot worse light pollution so moderate to them is probally in the centre of Brizzy to us .

There was a guy down in Sydney last year I think that posted some images here with his newly installed hyperstar and it looked very promising and very wide field, I can't remember who though.
I can't wait to see what you can do with it.

Regards Matt.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by coldspace

There was only one issue that was mentioned by most users, and that most of the users found that in moderate to bad light pollution they could not use the hyperstar as the images would wash out real bad, so most were only using it in dark skies and ran their scopes alot slower in the cities like F3.3 to F5.
They have alot worse light pollution so moderate to them is probally in the centre of Brizzy to us .

Point taken. But you still can do narrowband. I'd hope so anyway.

[AlexN]

Yeah Marc, I've seen NB images through hyperstar... you'll have to change filters manually though, as a filter wheel will obstruct too much of the light path..

[coldspace]

Sorry, I was not trying to spoil your fun. I was just pointing out one issue.
You won't have the same problems like I stated as these were only happening to users in and around Los Angles, the middle of Vegas and around Detroit and NYC from memory, so the sky glow there would be the same as in Sydney CBD with a full moon out!!!
and these were using a highly sensitive video system which has the main aim of pushing out the most from the chip in very short times, but I don't now how a DSLR or CCd camera like a QHY8 would perform in these conditions.

You will be able to use filters with the system to great effect, especially something like the Astronomic CLS to increase the contrast which I find is a superb filter in sky glow areas.
I wanted to buy one as well but they don't have one availible for a Meade 12R inch and they are also not compatible with the ACF optics anyway so the Optec 3.3 will do for now which works great also buts its no hyperstar.
Good luck with it.

Matt

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by AlexN

Yeah Marc, I've seen NB images through hyperstar... you'll have to change filters manually though, as a filter wheel will obstruct too much of the light path..

That's cool then. I do that anyway. Never had or used a filter wheel.

[Ken]

Hi Marc the new version of the hyperstar looks interesting. I spent a few hours years ago with a friends c11 with hyperstar and sbig 237 camera with internal filter wheel, because of the tiny sensor the collimation and critical focus seemed hard to achieve. There has been some discussion that narrowband filters not performing well with very fast optics and the steep light cone converging on the filter, don't know if that is a problem. Don't let me put you off if you nail focus and collimation it will be a killer setup.
Clear skies Ken

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by Ken

Hi Marc the new version of the hyperstar looks interesting. I spent a few hours years ago with a friends c11 with hyperstar and sbig 237 camera with internal filter wheel, because of the tiny sensor the collimation and critical focus seemed hard to achieve. There has been some discussion that narrowband filters not performing well with very fast optics and the steep light cone converging on the filter, don't know if that is a problem. Don't let me put you off if you nail focus and collimation it will be a killer setup.
Clear skies Ken

Yeah I read too it can be a real pita to focus. Oh well, I'll see... I heard about the light cone with Ha filters too. Not sure I understood how it works though ...

[RobF (Rob)]

Hyperstar does sound fascinating - almost too good to be true. +1 another person here watching with encouragement and interest in how you go Marc!